A study of black/white differences in cancer patient survival for cancers of the female breast, colon, urinary bladder, and uterine corpus has been initiated in collaboration with the Health Promotion Sciences Branch, DCPC. Data will be collected on 2,600 patients with information to be obtained on behavioral and nutritional factors, extent of disease, pathological characteristics of the primary tumor, and treatment. Currently in progress are studies comparing the survival of patients treated at comprehensive cancer centers with patients from geographic areas covered by the SEER Program. Preliminary findings suggest that improvement in the management of Hodgkin's disease is possible in the general medical community through the application of existing knowledge. Other sites will be studied in this regard. Trends in survival for childhood cancers have been studied for patients diagnosed during the 1970s. Survival has improved for all forms of childhood cancers with substantial improvements found for acute lymphocytic leukemia and soft tissue sarcoma. Recurrence in patients with soft tissue sarcoma has been studied and found to be associated with extension and location of the primary tumor as well as its histologic grade. Clinical trial data testing the additive effect of vincristine (because of its known central nervous system toxicity and high cost) to cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-flourouracil, and prednisone in the treatment of advanced breast cancer were analyzed. Vincristine was not found to be an important part of the treatment regimen and patients receiving vincristine did experience significantly more central nervous system toxicity.